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Serious Issues
-It's early in the solar cycle when Panacea gets a visitor at her hab suite in Kaon. If she is check for who it is, she'll find Blurr standing outside the door, still looking as poorly as he did at the Jump Joint earlier. He doesn't seem to pay it any mind, however, and appears to be as spritely as usual. -The optics of a medic are not often fooled by the appearance of mood when the physical appearances contradict that mood. Panacea opens the door and gestures for Blurr to come in, looking him over in a professionally critical way. "Hello again Blurr," she greets. -"Hey Pan." Blurr greets, though his expression is rather grave. "I uh, hope this isn't a bad time?" he asks. "I have some news for you. It's exactly very good, but I thought you had a right to know." -Panacea looks a little surprised at this and, as such, her optic ridges go up. "What sort of news?" she asks a bit tentatively. Then she motions for Blurr to have a seat. Her place is neat and tidy but not exactly fancy. Still, it's probably a great deal cleaner than a lot of places on Wreckage Row. -Yeah, it certainly isn't much compared to what Blurr is used to, but still, it's a lot cleaner than most places around these parts. So he doesn't really mind, nor did he expect it to be too fancy, either. He sits down at a table and takes out a datapad. "It's about your miner friends, you know? The ones I said I'd try to help you track down?" -It would be downright dangerous for Panacea to have a nice place here. So she tries to make herself as comfortable as possible without attracting too much of the wrong attention. When Blurr mentions her miner friends she finds she has to take a seat herself. "What about them?" she asks a bit weakly. -"Well," Blurr hesitates, peering at the datapad. "I went digging, as I said I would, and I managed to find some police records." A strong air current passes through his vent systems in a sound akin to a heavy sigh. "I'll be honest with you--you're not gonna like it, so...I mean do you still want to know?" -Panacea seems to wilt a bit, but nods her head. "It's better to know the worst," she says. "I've had to tell people that I couldn't save their friends before; it's not easy, but I don't think it's meant to be." -"Okay then. Here we go." Blurr pulls up the first file on the datapad, pushing it toward the center of the table so she can see it. "So first guy I found, Drivetrain. After your mine was shut down, he was reassigned to facility operations at Kolkular. He made sure the drones were working the way the should, maintained the containment field power cells, that kind of stuff. He was working there until the recent attack by a group of Decepticons, after that he was missing until investigators found his body in some of the wreckage. After the autopsy it was determined that Brawl, the big crazy tank mech, hit him square in the chest with his plasma cannon. Crossfire, I guess." Next. A pause as he scrolls the screen to the left. "Camshaft, reassigned to a drone factory in Altihex. Was helping maintain the assembly lines. Killed in the recent attack by Decepticon terrorists." "Vantage, reassigned here, in Kaon. He was helping run a salvage shop until he was fatally injured in a riot on 5th cycle 82. He died shortly after he arrived at the clinic. "Breach, Piledriver, and Fallout were reassigned to a remote mining outpost. C-12 specifically. They were also killed in a riot, the one that broke out after Megatron killed his first Enforcer. Trampled by other miners, actually, according to the autopsies. Really sad. "Finally, Turbine. He was actually sent to Iacon to work in facility maintenance at the Primacy Auditorium, but just a few megacycles ago he took himself to a relinquishment clinic after having learned that practically all of his old mining friends had died." he finishes, and looks back up at the medic sadly. -Blurr puts a hand on her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, Pan." He says sympathetically with a shake of his head. "It's not your fault. I mean, maybe in Turbine's case, you might have been able to encourage him enough, but the others? There's no way you could have stopped it from happening." -There is some sense to that. "Maybe not, but maybe I /could/ have helped Turbine, or with the others, I might have been there fast enough to save them, or at least they wouldn't have been alone." She stands up and begins to pace rather recklessly. "Thank you for looking, even thought it was bad news," she says, apparently not the kind to shoot the messenger, as the saying goes. -"You're welcome. It's hard, delivering that kind of news, but...you had the right to know." Blurr says solemnly. "This world is not exactly at peace. It's dangerous out there, and tensions are only esacalating." -Panacea halts her pacing and folds her arms across her chest. "Well, as far as I'm concerned, everyone is making things worse and we're all wrong. The government should have been more reasonable and the people mad at them should have found a better way to make them see reason," she says hastily. Now, speaking out against the government gets a lot of people in trouble, but she's grieving, so hopefully Blurr can see that. -Blurr sighs. "I know, Pan. I know." he shakes his head. "You're right, you're absolutely right. But it isn't as simple as you make it sound. 'Finding a better way to make them see reason' is what everyone's been trying to -do- for the past vorn, but nothing seems to work. The problems we see now are deeply rooted in the past, things that happened before that can't be undone. I wish there were a better way, too. But I can't just sit back and do nothing while innocent people like your friends die." -"Well, I don't know that they were completely innocent; no one is really, but I see what you mean," Panacea says slowly. "In a way, it IS that simple. There are people who just don't want to change who they are so others feel like they have to change them by force. People at the bottom are mad at the people at the top, and everyone in between is being dragged into the suffering." She kicks at an invisible something on the floor in frustration. "No, the things can't be undone, but that doesn't mean they can't ever get better." -"Well I hope you're right." Blurr says sadly, in regards to her final comment. He shrugs. "I guess no one is completely 'innocent', but I just meant innocent as in not a criminal or breaking any laws, or trying to hurt anyone else." He slumps in his seat a little bit. "Anyway I suppose that's one way to summarize it. I mean, okay. The -problem- is simple, but that doesn't mean it's simple to -solve-." -Panacea nods her head and goes back to pacing, stopping every so often to rub a hand across her forehead. "I'm not sure what else to say," she finally admits. "If things keep going on this way there won't be much of a Cybertron left." -"You're absolutely right, once again." Blurr sighs. "Unfortunately. Which is why we're trying to put a stop to it. -Someone- has to end this vicious cycle one way or another, or we won't have much of a home planet left in the end. Everyone is getting -desperate-, and you know what desperation can drive people to." -"Not from any real personal experience, but yes, I've seen it," Panacea says. "Still, you can't say that there isn't a fault on /both/ sides," she stresses. "Even if what the Decepticons are doing is wrong, you can't say what drove them to do wrong was right." -"I'm never said that, Pan." Blurr insists. "I said you're completely right, there is wrong on both sides. But -someone- has to end it, somehow. The Decepticons can't keep thinking that they can fix the problems they're so angry about with the same methods that were used to create them in the first place. Maybe that works in some scenarios, but not this one." -"I'm just saying, while you're fighting them, you also have to look at the problems that created it so it doesn't happen again," Panacea says. "Do you know why the mine I worked for shut down?" she asks. "It's because we were losing workers. One of the miners had fallen in love with someone outside his caste and was punished for it. So the others started to rebel; they stood up for their own. If that stupid rule hadn't existed to stop them from having feelings for each other then I'd still be there and so would they." -Blurr shakes his head. "I'm sorry." He pats her back again, sounding sympathetic but perhaps not sympathetic enough. "I never said the system was perfect. Like I said, a lot of it is rooted in stuff that happened before and can't be changed. Yeah okay, it's a stupid rule, but it's not anything you or I can change by rebelling against it, in fact rebelling just gives them even more reason to enforce it even harder, and intensify the consequences for being caught in the act. But if they see you still abide by the law even though you don't agree with it, they're going to be more likely to listen to you if you ever went about trying to enact change in a -non-violent- way." -Panacea shakes her head at this. "The point is to protect the people. We need a system to do that, but when the system isn't protecting people any more, then the system has to change. People needed to unite to make themselves heard rather than splinter off into groups and run rampaging around attacking things," she says rather firmly, her optics flashing. "Claiming to 'protect' people from love is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of. I could handle the functionism and everything, but I think that rule crosses the line into really bad taste." -Blurr nods. "Definitely agreed with on the rampaging around and attacking things part." He sighs. "That law isn't a matter of protection. It's for the sake of maintaining the caste system. To keep order, and control. Not to say it's right, but again, rebelling against it isn't going to help matters. Violence against the people you think are responsible for the world's problems just makes things worse. Because a lot of times, the people you -think- are responsible, actually aren't." -"I think all violence makes things worse," Panacea says. "That's my stance and it's final." She folds her arms across her chest. "And if you think that's what the law should be then I think you'd better re-examine your spark because there's something flawed with it." Ouch. Then her expression softens. "You haven't been looking so well lately," she says, having forgotten, for a time at least, Blurr's duller colours. -"The law should protect the people by maintaining order and keeping dangerous people off of the streets. Violence is sometimes necessary in order for that happen, unfortunately, but..." Blurr sighs again. "I don't know. I just do as I'm told, there's already enough trouble in this world without me adding to it, anyway." He peers down at himself, then back up at her, and shrugs. "It's nothing, I've just been working hard, that's all. Besides, it's not as if you can do anything about it. I'm not supposed to let just anyone poke around inside of me." -"You can do what you're told and still have an opinion that doesn't sound like it was memorized off a datapad," Panacea says. "And telling people who they can have a relationship with simply isn't in the same category of keeping dangerous people off the street. In fact, letting people have their little romances is MORE likely to keep dangerous people off the street, not less." Then she even smiles faintly. "You really need to see the medics you CAN have poke around inside you more often," she says with mock sterness. "You're not going to do anyone any good if you wander around sick or injured." And she shakes an admonishing finger at him. "Find some time to pamper yourself, I don't have to tinker with your systems to tell you that much." -Blurr nods. "I agree, I agree. That particular law is probably just in place because it makes them feel more in control of the system. But like I said, rebelling against it just makes things worse. Frag, -I- loved a disposable, and we couldn't make it official because of that, but she went and got reassessed so now we can. No violence, no rebellion. No one got hurt or killed." He shrugs. "I'm not sick or injured, I just need a few rest cycles, I guess." Though Pan should know better...you don't start sporting greyer tones when you're just overworked. The discoloration was usually a sign of poisoning, or -something- in one's system wreaking havoc. -"Not everyone might have that option. You can protest a law without open rebellion," Panacea says. "Or, at least, in even a quasi-reasonable government you should be able to," she amends. She smiles faintly. "Though that is good to hear; at least you were lucky." Maybe that's why he can't hate the system so much; it gave him what he wanted. She doesn't voice this out loud though. "I don't think that's enough." She pulls out a reflective surface she usually uses for surgical reasons. "Your colour isn't at all good. So, when we're done here, you'd better march yourself down to whatever medics you /can/ trust and get yourself looked after. Because I swear," and she fixes him with a stern optic, "if you pass out in front of me I /will/ look into what the problem is. It's my duty." -Blurr nods. "Yeah, I'd say that'd be the proper way to go about it. Like I said, rebellion isn't the answer. Protesting peacefully though, I can't argue with. I'm not sure if that kind of thing is something any of them have even considered, since I can't remember the last time anything like that actually -happened-." He also hasn't been around all that long. The racer shakes his head again and waves a dissmisive hand, brushing off her concern. "I will, I will, don't worry alright?" he smirks. "It's nothing. In fact, fine I'll go right now." Right, of -course- he will. He's been pulling a scrapload of lies out of his aft the entire time, and this is no different. "Unless there's anything else you wanted t--" Whoops. Suddenly his optics turn pale and he falls out of the seat onto the floor with a WHUMP. -Panacea is about to reply to Blurr and then he keels over. Well, this isn't good. Still, her words weren't empty. Although she doesn't look very strong, she manages to pick up the speeder and get him to a bench. Lightly she pats his cheek. "Blurr?" she asks, wondering if he's pretending to see what she will do. She doesn't really wait for him to answer, though, and starts gathering up her diagnostic tools. -No, he definitely isn't pretending. Blurr isn't responding to any of her prodding. She might not be very strong, but she doesn't need to be in order to move him--he's very light, lighter even than he looks. -Diagnositc tools out, Panacea starts to scan him, first on the surface and then deeper should that require. She doesn't recall seeing any glaring injuries so she is guessing it has something to do with his systems rather than damage to his outer metals. While she's not close to Blurr, she likes him well enough to be concerned more than just as a medic. -There aren't any injuries to be seen, so yes, it is something in his system. And once she's completed a deeper scan, the data would reveal that indeed, there is something contaminating his fuel lines that is mostly definitely not supposed to be there. It isn't something that she's seen before, but it certainly isn't -good-, either. She'd have to get a sample of it discern its true nature. -Panacea is definitely going to take a sample. What's more she's going to have to start siphoning out the bad energon and replace it with the good. But that will be better done downstairs in the actual medical part of the building. Only the upstairs is her living area, while downstairs is her small practice. Hoisting the lightweight speeder over her shoulders, she carefully proceeds to take him downstairs. -Blurr is still motionless, and it is fairly easy for her to carry him down to the lower level. Panacea may or may not be aware of the fact that if she learns something about her new patient that his 'superiors' don't want her knowing, it might get her into trouble. But even if she is aware, perhaps it isn't a concern to her. -Panacea takes her job very seriously. If people come after her for doing it, she'll deal with it then. Her refusal to take a side might seem weak to some, but it isn't a matter of wavering; she's convinced that joining a side is wrong, plain and simple and will not act contrary to that until someone convinces her otherwise. Gently she puts him on a table for treatment and starts hooking some tubes up to him so she can start cycling his energon. -As she places him on the berth, a compartment in his arm that has been loosened on the way down here jostles open and something rolls out. It's a clear tube with a needle attached to one end of it, and an auto-injector on the other. Thump. Thump. Two more roll out, though only one of the tubes has a needle on it. They are filled with the contaminant. -What in Primus' name...? Panacea checks the tubes for any sort of lable or other identifying features. She just shakes her head. Why would he be carrying this stuff around if it damaged him? -There is nothing on the tubes, save for a number: CT-009. The liquid inside is clear and odorless. Indeed, why would he be carrying it around, unless...he was administering it to himself? -And why would he be doing that unless he was messed up as everyone else on this planet. Panacea jots the number down and the description of the liquid...which is that it's pretty non-descript. Regardless of whether he's done it to himself or not, she still continues on with the plan. Taking a small sample both from him and from one of the tubes, she stores them away for future analysis. The other things she puts back in their place and secures the panel shut for now. Next she goes to get a source of emergency energon to hook him into. -After the energon cycling has been going for a few breems, the color begins to return to Blurr's frame, the bright blue hues starting to stand out more vibrantly. Physically, he is getting better. -Panacea is no psychologist, so can't do much about Blurr's other issues. Still, she's happy to make his colour come back at least. But she won't disconnect him until her scans show that the contaminant is gone. While she waits she deliberates on whether she should ask him about those tubes or not. -Finally, after a few more minutes, the contaminant is copmletely gone. Blurr starts to stir, his optics flickering a bit. -Panacea shuts off the system, but doesn't remove the tubbing quite yet. "Blurr?" she asks softly, seeing if she can rouse him more without any further medical tinkering. -Blurr wakes up fully, and bolts straight upright. He looks...very upset. "Pan?" He turns toward her, and stares in horror as if she'd just done something horrible to herself. "N-noyouweren'tsupposedtodothatyou'llgetintrouble!" he exclaims. "They'll...they'llcomeafteryou..." -Panacea folds her arms across her chest. "Slow down; I'm a medic, not a super-processor," she says. "Listen, you never told me which medics you could trust, so there wasn't anyone I could bring you to or call for assistance," she explains evenly. "Until I knew what was wrong I sure as Primus couldn't help you. And I wasn't going to stand there and just watch you waste away." -"Butbut..." Blurr looks increasingly distressed. He jumps off of the berth, pulling the tubes out of his body. "Thenyouhavetohidesomewhereyouhavetothey'llcomeforyou!" he insists, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her for emphasis. Then he lets go, putting his face in his hands. "Inevershouldhavecomehere..." -Panacea makes a face. "Look, if whoever /they/ are think it's a crime for a medic to heal someone, then they're not only stupid, they've obviously missed the point of Functionism," she says. "I don't know what sort of bad stuff you're involved with, but I do my job." She throws up her hands in frustration. "And if you don't tell anyone, who is going to know?" -"Idon'tknowthey'rejustveryprotective..." Blurr sighs. "..." Abruptly, he seems to have regained his composure, and an empty look crosses his features. "I have to go." -"Of course you do," Panacea says quietly, blandly. She'd seen that look before the first time she tried to fix him. Well, what will happen will happen; she's not going to run because in her mind she did nothing wrong. -Zip! Off Blurr goes, gone in a flash as he typically likes his exits.